Art by Leah Bae
It’s the last weekend of the regular season, and playoff football is on the horizon.
Week 18 will feature intense fixtures across the AFC, with five teams in the running for the two remaining playoff spots. The Indianapolis Colts and Los Angeles Chargers are in possession of those spots, but will need to win to cement their places in the postseason. A loss for either team opens the door for the Los Vegas Raiders, Pittsburgh Steelers, or Baltimore Ravens to crash the party.
The playoff picture in the NFC is more straightforward. A win for the San Francisco 49ers and the last playoff spot is theirs, but a slip-up combined with a New Orleans Saints win will see the NFC South team leapfrog into the playoff picture. The Green Bay Packers earned the No. 1 seed with a week to spare and will be playing for pride, while the Los Angeles Rams and Arizona Cardinals will look to grab the NFC West crown with wins in their respective games.
The NFL Picks standings have a similar look in the new year. Digital Editor Karl Winter maintained his stranglehold on the leaderboard throughout the past several weeks, and is currently sitting at 166-90 after an impressive 13-3 showing in Week 17.
The rest of the staff made it their New Year’s resolutions to catch Karl, but they’ll need to start making up ground if they have any hope of doing so. Creative Director Ali Levens and recently demoted staff writer Alec Matulka are tied for second at 159-97, while staff writers Joe Doonan (158-98) and Austin LeDe’ (157-99) round out the top five.
Without further ado, let the picking commence!
Kansas City Chiefs (11-5) at Denver Broncos (7-9) (Saturday, Jan. 8 at 1:30 p.m., PST)
Joe: Chiefs
Austin: Chiefs
Alec: Chiefs
Ali: Chiefs
Karl: Chiefs
“The Chiefs have engineered a dramatic turnaround this season, with an eight-game winning streak putting them in position to get one of the top seeds in the AFC. They will need a miracle – Houston beating Tennessee — to get the No. 1 seed, but they will beat Denver on both sides of the ball.” — Karl
“Insert donkey-butt joke here.” — Ali
Dallas Cowboys (11-5) at Philadelphia Eagles (9-7) (Saturday, Jan. 8 at 5:15 p.m., PST)
Joe: Cowboys
Austin: Eagles
Alec: Cowboys
Ali: Cowboys
Karl: Cowboys
“The Cowboys can increase their seed and possibly get a home game in the first two rounds, assuming they make it that far. They also looked pretty bad last week and will want to go into the playoffs with a win against a rival.” — Joe
“The Cowboys have clinched the division and the Eagles have clinched a playoff berth, but this is a rivalry game and Dallas will need to bounce back from a loss to gain momentum for the postseason. Philly has figured out what works for them, and they’ve made an admirable run to get into the postseason, but they don’t have the firepower to match Dallas.” — Karl
Washington Football Team (6-10) at New York Giants (4-12) (Sunday, Jan. 9 at 10 a.m., PST)
Joe: Football Team
Austin: Football Team
Alec: Football Team
Ali: Football Team
Karl: Football Team
“Both teams are a mess, but the Giants are a bigger mess.” — Austin
“The only person who doesn’t deserve to get cut from the Giants this year is [Graham] Gano. This man scored 87 points in field goals this season. He is the glue holding this mess of an injured team together. For next season, I am hoping the Giants get a better trainer, GM, head coach, OC, DC, O-line, D-line and tight-ends. That’s it. Then it’s coming up all Giants, baby.” — Ali
Cincinnati Bengals (10-6) at Cleveland Browns (7-9) (Sunday, Jan. 9 at 10 a.m., PST)
Joe: Bengals
Austin: Bengals
Alec: Bengals
Ali: Browns
Karl: Bengals
“I was right about the Bengals all year, so that makes me happy.” — Austin
“Joey Franchise [Joe Burrow] and this Bengals offense are top-tier entertainment, but unfortunately he’s resting and Joe Mixon is in COVID protocols. On the other hand, you’d have to pay me to watch Case Keenum and the Browns right now — they’ll still lose to Cincy’s backups.” — Karl
Pittsburgh Steelers (8-7-1) at Baltimore Ravens (8-8) (Sunday, Jan. 9 at 10 a.m., PST)
Joe: Steelers
Austin: Ravens
Alec: Steelers
Ali: Ravens
Karl: Ravens
“The buck stops here for Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers. It’s unlikely that either team makes the playoffs, but both deserve credit for finishing near .500 despite serious issues and injuries.” — Karl
“The Ravens season, once so shiny and promising, has been marred by extensive injuries, COVID-19, and what has to be one of the most difficult schedules I have ever seen. Better luck next year, Lamar.” — Alec
Green Bay Packers (13-3) at Detroit Lions (2-13-1) (Sunday, Jan. 9, at 10 a.m., PST)
Joe: Packers
Austin: Packers
Alec: Packers
Ali: Packers
Karl: Packers
“The Packers have no reason to play any important players in this game, so it almost seems like I should take the Lions, but it just doesn’t sit right with me to do that.” — Joe
“Cheese.” — Ali
Indianapolis Colts (9-7) at Jacksonville Jaguars (2-14) (Sunday, Jan. 9 at 10 a.m., PST)
Joe: Colts
Austin: Colts
Alec: Colts
Ali: Colts
Karl: Colts
“I’m a horse girl this Sunday.” — Ali
“The Jaguars have only had one season with a winning record since 2007. That is, as the kids say these days, not good. That’s really not good, actually. That’s bad.” — Alec
Chicago Bears (6-10) at Minnesota Vikings (7-9) (Sunday, Jan. 9 at 10 a.m., PST)
Joe: Vikings
Austin: Vikings
Alec: Bears
Ali: Vikings
Karl: Bears
“Andy Dalton trying to earn contract money, a swan song for Matt Nagy, and the Bears winning a third consecutive meaningless game.” — Karl
“This will be one of the least exciting games of Week 18. You know what would be exciting? Watching an actual bear fight an actual Viking. A classic two-go-in-one-comes-out type of deal, you know. I’d definitely watch that. I don’t think I’ll watch this.” — Alec
Art by Ali Levens
Tennessee Titans (11-5) at Houston Texans (4-12) (Sunday, Jan. 9 at 10 a.m., PST)
Joe: Titans
Austin: Titans
Alec: Titans
Ali: Titans
Karl: Titans
“Derrick Henry is somehow off of injured reserve, which is scary for the AFC going into the playoffs.” — Joe
“I’m a simple man. I live in the moment. I don’t think about the past too much. Specifically, I don’t think about what happened in Nissan Stadium on November 21, 2021. Life’s just simpler that way.” — Alec
New Orleans Saints (8-8) at Atlanta Falcons (7-9) (Sunday, Jan. 9 at 1:25 p.m., PST)
Joe: Saints
Austin: Falcons
Alec: Saints
Ali: Saints
Karl: Saints
“Saints lowkey falling apart.” — Austin
“New Orleans needs to win to put pressure on the 49ers. They’ve played with four different quarterbacks this year and will find a way to get it done with Taysom Hill on Sunday.” — Karl
Seattle Seahawks (6-10) at Arizona Cardinals (11-5) (Sunday, Jan. 9 at 1:25 p.m., PST)
Joe: Cardinals
Austin: Cardinals
Alec: Seahawks
Ali: Cardinals
Karl: Cardinals
“Cute little birdies playing with a big football. Make sure you feed them birdseed and not bread because bread gets lodged in their throats and they can’t breathe. Bird seed is a much more natural food, but sea hawks can eat about anything. Cardinals are a bit more delicate, so I will bring the mix of birdseed for this game.” — Ali
“I hear Russell Wilson may not be back in Seattle next season, which is too bad. I have a lot of fond memories of Russ throwing the ol’ pigskin around SoDo. It seems right to send him out on a win.” — Alec
New York Jets (4-12) at Buffalo Bills (10-6) (Sunday, Jan. 9 at 1:25 p.m., PST)
Joe: Bills
Austin: Bills
Alec: Bills
Ali: Bills
Karl: Bills
“I can’t believe the Jets have the same record as the Giants. Hell really is freezing over.” — Ali
“The Jets are still trash, but they’re on the rise a little.” — Austin
Carolina Panthers (5-11) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (12-4) (Sunday, Jan. 9 at 1:25 p.m., PST)
Joe: Bucs
Austin: Bucs
Alec: Bucs
Ali: Bucs
Karl: Bucs
“Once upon a time, the Panthers were 4-1. That’s hard to believe at this point.” — Joe
“Regardless of the Antonio Brown scandal/saga, the Bucs defense can shut down Carolina’s abysmal offense. Whether the defending champs will hold up in the playoffs remains to be seen.” — Karl
New England Patriots (10-6) at Miami Dolphins (8-8) (Sunday, Jan. 9 at 1:25 p.m., PST)
Joe: Patriots
Austin: Patriots
Alec: Dolphins
Ali: Patriots
Karl: Patriots
“Remember back in 2018 when the Dolphins beat the Patriots 34-33 on an insane two-lateral play? Of course you do. Well, that’s going to happen again this Sunday. Yes, you heard it here first, folks. The Dolphins will beat the Patriots on a last-minute play so incredible that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell will be forced to put them in the playoffs even though they’ve already been mathematically eliminated. It’s true. I don’t make the rules.” — Alec
“TOOMMMMMMMMMM.” — Ali
San Francisco 49ers (9-7) at Los Angeles Rams (12-4) (Sunday, Jan. 9 at 1:25 p.m., PST)
Joe: Rams
Austin: Rams
Alec: Rams
Ali: Rams
Karl: Rams
“You know it.” — Austin
“The Niners have won the last 5 meetings, but I think the Rams get this one. They have to win to secure the division and I think they will do that.” — Joe
Los Angeles Chargers (9-7) at Las Vegas Raiders (9-7) (Sunday, Jan. 9 at 1:25 p.m., PST)
Joe: Chargers
Austin: Chargers
Alec: Chargers
Ali: Chargers
Karl: Raiders
“What a game in prospect — division rivals in Vegas, one playoff spot on the line. I’m going with the home team because the house always wins in Las Vegas.” — Karl
“I have high hopes that this game will be epic. Both teams have to win to make the playoffs, and a game with stakes is exactly what Week 18 needs.” — Joe
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Follow the Graphic on Twitter: @PeppGraphic
Email Alec Matulka: alec.matulka@pepperdine.edu
